Yankees right fielder Carlos Beltran faced a conundrum while at home watching this year’s World Series.
After all, the 38-year-old first broke into the big leagues back in 1998 with the Royals, with whom he spent the first six-plus years of his career. After a brief stint in Houston in which Beltran tore it up in the postseason, he earned a huge payday with the Mets, though his tenure in Queens largely is remembered for nagging injuries and the series-ending strikeout against the Cardinals in Game 7 of the 2006 NLCS. He holds no grudges against the Mets, however.
“I wanted the Mets to do well. I didn’t know anyone from the Royals that I played with,” Beltran told amNewYork at Lord & Taylor’s Guys’ Night Out in midtown on Thursday. “The guys that I played with were on the Mets, like Murphy, David Wright, [and] Lucas Duda. I was hoping the Mets would win it, and unfortunately it didn’t happen that way.”
Despite five All-Star appearances during six-plus seasons while with the team, he was traded away to the Giants before the 2011 trade deadline in the deal that landed right-hander Zack Wheeler in New York.
Now entering his third season in pinstripes, Beltran thinks very highly of the group the Mets have assembled.
“I believe they gave it a great ride, and now they have something positive to build on with such a good team that they have,” Beltran said. “I believe, this year, they’re going to be better.”
